Encouragement
by Hawky Phantom
Summary: One-shot. Bullying is a problem nowadays. What happens when a certain halfa witnesses it happening by some kids? Will a little encouragement make things right...or worse?


**Hi everyone! This is the first story I'm actually posting on here, and it just so happens to be my first one-shot! I really hope you all enjoy it! Constructive criticism is welcome, and I hope Danny isn't too OOC!**

**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is owned by the one and only Butch Hartman! (No matter how much I wish it was owned by me! ) The kids I made up, but the rest is owned by him!**

**Encouragement**

Danny Phantom flew through the evening sky. Anyone that saw him would probably think he was patrolling, but no, his mind was on other things.

_That last battle with Poindexter really got me thinking on the problems of bullying…_He thought as he continued soaring.

_I never really thought of it as that much of a problem. I get bullied pretty much every day by Dash…but… I do have ghost powers so it's not that bad. I didn't realize that bunches of kids go through that every day, and they don't have super healing powers or the trick of sometimes sneaking an intangibility trick in._

"I just wish there was someway I could help," he said to no one as he continued flying.

* * *

A young boy, around the age of ten was dribbling a basketball on the abandoned court in the school yard. He had short brown hair and dark brown eyes and wore a blue jacket over his white shirt. His jeans were dark blue and seemed worn out from wearing them for playing outside, same with his scratched up sneakers.

He had gotten bored at home, and figured that since it was a nice evening he could go and play basketball.

As he was about to start dribbling into position he thought he heard a noise coming from behind him. He turned around to see what it was, but nothing was there except for the leaves blowing in the wind. The boy shook it off and turned back around.

He dribbled so he was about four feet in front of the hoop and aimed carefully. Once he knew he was in position he threw the ball at the hoop.

He smiled when he saw that it was going to be a perfect shot, but then, out of nowhere, something came and knocked his basketball off the rim as it was going to go in.

The thing that had blocked his shot was another basketball, and he stared as the other one went in the hoop.

"Well, well, well," a voice said from behind him.

The boy gasped and turned around. He was frozen to his spot, but not because he was shocked that someone was there, but because of _who_ was there.

In front of him was Ace Dezmond.

Ace Dezmond was a twelve year old who had short black curly hair that was always under a hat. He had hazel eyes and was wearing a green shirt and navy blue pants. His green sneakers matched his shirt and hat, which happened to be green today.

Two other boys were with Ace, one on each side. They were Sean and Seth Lyons, the ten year old twins that hung out with Ace. They had dirty blonde hair that hung in front of their eyes, which happened to be green. They each wore a green shirt (most likely copying Ace) and jeans which were a little too long for them.

The boy purposely avoided the twins gaze, but he didn't really want to be looking Ace in the eyes either.

The three walked from the edge of the court over to where the boy was, making him want to run, but he knew it would be worse that way.

"Look who's on our court after-hours," Ace said with a smirk.

The boy just stood there, he didn't want to say anything, then maybe he could be let off without a scratch.

This just seemed to make Ace happier, "If I do recall, I specifically said 'no kids here after school', you remember that, don't you?" he asked.

The boy just nodded, he knew it was a risk coming here, but he had nothing else to do.

"Well, it doesn't look like it. What time is it?" Ace asked, looking the kid in the eye.

The boy looked at the ground, "After school…" he muttered quietly.

"Very good, then, if you remember, why are you here?" Ace asked.

"I was bored, I just wanted to play basketball for a little bit," the boy replied quietly.

Ace just looked at him, "You were bored?" He then looked at the twins, "He was bored, did you hear that?" The twins nodded so he continued, "I don't think that's a very good excuse, do you?" he asked them. The twins hesitated for a second before shaking their heads.

The boy noticed the hesitation and felt hope, but his hope flared into anger when they shook their heads.

Ace looked back at the boy, "Well, it looks like majority won. You don't have a good enough reason, and since school is over, no ones here to say it's not my turf. Anything to say?" he asked.

The boy would have just shook his head and braced himself for whatever Ace had coming to him, but this time it was different. He didn't know why, but he felt like he had to stand up for himself. He had to stand up for his classmates.

"I am." He said quietly.

Ace seemed taken aback, "What?" Even the twins seemed shocked.

"I said," the boy paused and looked up into Ace's eyes, "I am. _I'm_ here and _I'm_ saying that this isn't your turf."

All three seemed shocked at what this kid was saying to Ace, _no one_ has _ever_ talked back to Ace. Heck, the twins don't even talk to him!

"Ever since you were in fifth grade you've been claiming this area yours after school, but it's _not_! It's owned by the school, school hours or not!" He didn't even know where he got the sudden courage to do this, but he was now _glaring_ at Ace!

Ace was recovering from shock and was about to say something but the boy cut him off, "And come on, you're _twelve_! You don't even belong to this school anymore! If you want to pick on kids, pick on the ones in your own _grade_! But you're probably too afraid to, right? You figure if you're bigger and older than someone you can just go and make life harder for them!" He was visibly shaking, but who knows if it was from fright or anger, possibly both.

Ace seemed to realize that he had had enough of this kid and his lectures. He grabbed the kid by his shirt and spoke to him, "Shut up! Who are you to be talking like that to me? You got the part right about me being bigger and older than you, so how bout' I show you how much stronger I am?" He then shoved the kid to the ground, making the boy yelp from shock and pain.

Ace bent his head down so he was inches away from the boy's face. "Now you know I can do a _lot_ worse than that, so if I were you I'd keep my mouth shut!"

The boy's eyes were now wide with fear, he _did_ know Ace could do a lot worse, but deep down he was satisfied and proud of himself for talking back to him. His back was now hurting from the impact with the hard concrete, but he helped himself up with his hands. Now that he was standing up he was face-to-face with Ace.

They both looked at each other with the same look of hatred, though the boy still had a trace of fear. The boy knew Ace was waiting for him to say something else, and even though one half of him told him to keep his mouth shut like Ace said, the other half wanted to finish what he had started.

_No_ kid had ever went as far as he just did against Ace, and he figured that since he started it, it would be better to finish it then have Ace think he was better than everyone again tomorrow.

He had to do this for his classmates, no matter what the cost.

"No." The boy said stiffly.

The boy detected a trace of shock in Ace's eyes, but he quickly masked that with more hatred and a death glare, "_What_ did you just say? If I heard right you just told me 'no'."

The boy stood his ground, "Your ears heard right."

Ace quickly looked away from him and towards the twins, "I think this kid needs to be taught a lesson, don't you think?"

The twins yet again hesitated, and flashed a look at the boy, but they felt Ace's cold stare and nodded slowly.

Ace turned back to the kid, who even though became scared, continued to stand his ground. Ace noticed the kids fearful expression behind his bravery and smiled in satisfaction, "_Riiiiiing,_" he said softly imitating a bell.

The boy became confused at this and wasn't sure what it meant.

Ace smirked at the boy's confused expression, "Oh look, the school bell, time for your lesson!" he said as he pulled back his arm, readying a punch.

Before the boy knew it the punch was flying towards his face and he quickly shut his eyes and put his arms in front of him to block the punch…that never came?

He slowly opened his eyes and looked over his arm-shield to see Ace's fist an inch and a half away from his face! He became confused, why did he stop?

Apparently, Ace himself was confused. As he threw the punch it felt like an invisible force had stopped him. He stood with his mouth agape and tried pulling his arm back, but he couldn't move it. It was stuck in one place like it was being held there.

The twins stood shocked at what was happening and looked at the boy amazed, but the boy was also shocked and amazed.

All of a sudden, the invisible force became visible. It turned out to be a silver gloved hand holding Ace's fist in one place. All four of the kids were confused and a little frightened.

That's when the rest of the form became visible, right there, in front of them all, was Danny Phantom. He was looking at Ace with his electric green eyes narrowed.

"This lesson has been cancelled, permanently." Danny Phantom said, his echoey voice and the way he said it made them know he meant it.

The twins eyes widened, scared of what the ghost boy could do to them, they'd all seen his fights on the news; And _that's_ why they ran out of there as quick as they could, not looking back even when Ace yelled to them.

Ace stood there, his eyes widened in shock and fear. This wasn't some little kid he could beat up, this was _Danny Phantom_! His face grew pale as he thought of all the things Phantom could do to him.

The boy's eyes were wide too, he still wasn't sure if Danny Phantom was coming to attack them both or if he was on his side, but that didn't stop him from smiling at how Ace looked right now. His face was _priceless_! He was finally getting what he deserved, and Phantom didn't even _do_ anything yet!

Danny Phantom hadn't done anything to Ace, he didn't want to hurt anyone, and he wasn't going to. That wasn't who he was. Instead, he relaxed. He wasn't going to make them think he was evil.

"Okay, listen. I'm not going to hurt you, I don't do that. I'm just going to tell you that what you do is wrong. These kids never asked to be bullied, they just want to enjoy life and have fun," Danny looked over to the boy and then back to Ace, "What you do doesn't help the kids, and it sure doesn't help you, right?"

Ace was still freaking out in his mind, but Phantom _did_ say he wasn't going to hurt him, right? All Ace did was nod, what else could he do? He looked at his arm; he couldn't even run away because of Phantom's hold!

Danny realized that the kid was a little freaked that he was going to zap him or something, so he loosened his grip on his fist. "Okay, I'll let you go if you promise not to run away. I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to tell you something."

Ace looked at Phantom's grip and then figured, if Phantom is so strong, even if I ran away he would catch me, and what if he hurt me then? Ace nodded, he was at a loss of words.

Danny nodded, and slowly let go of the kid's fist, he didn't want the kid to not trust him. He saw the kid take a step, but hesitate. He looked Phantom in the eye then stopped and stood there.

The boy watched, he couldn't believe that Ace was actually listening to someone! Well, it _was_ Danny Phantom, but still!

Danny looked at the boy, he knew he was amazed. He then turned back to Ace, "Okay, I know bullying can make you feel strong, but how do you think the other kids feel? And it may make you feel strong now, but in the future it's going to come right back and punch you."

Ace seemed a little un-convinced.

"Believe me, I _know_," Danny said, thinking about that first fight with Poindexter. "And it's going to make you feel horrible and make you wish that you could change time, but you won't be able to. What's done is done, and who knows, you could have completely changed a life for some innocent kid. Imagine living with that guilt."

Ace actually looked at the ground, like he was _thinking_ about what Phantom just said.

"So what do ya say?" Danny Phantom asked with hope, "Are you going to stop hurting kids?"

Ace looked at the ground for a minute then looked up at Phantom, "…Yea, I never really told anyone this…but…" He then looked at the boy.

The boy realized that it was probably something he didn't want people to know, so he started to walk away.

"Wait," Ace said, "you can know, but you have to _promise_ not to say anything."

The boy stopped, and looked at Danny Phantom.

Danny nodded, making the boy go back to where he was standing before. Then Danny nodded to Ace, encouraging him to continue.

Ace looked at the ground, "Well…the thing is, I never really wanted to be a bully. It's just, I lost most of my friends when I got to fifth grade, and everything turned for me. I felt horrible and alone, I didn't want to feel like that. So, one day, I had accidentally hurt someone. But the person seemed afraid of me, and I liked the feeling of being able to have power over someone." He looked over to the boy, took a deep breath, then said, "I'm sorry Ricky."

Ricky was surprised at what Ace just said, "It…it's okay," he replied.

"But I'm not just sorry for hurting you, I'm sorry for stealing your friends from you, it's not their fault they left you," Ace said apologetically.

Ricky's eyes widened, he really thought Sean and Seth didn't want to be friends anymore! He almost got mad at Ace, but then realized that he really was sorry. He smiled, "It's okay Ace."

Ace looked towards the exit, "Yea, well I guess I should be going." He turned to start walking away.

"Wait," Ricky said, making Ace look back. "You know how you said you don't have any friends anymore? Well, now you do." He smiled.

Ace's eyes widened and he smiled, "Really? After everything I did to you?"

Ricky flinched, suddenly remembering all the punches and shoves he got from him, making his back hurt. But he shoved it off, Ace really changed, and this way, Ricky could make sure Ace didn't make the same mistake again. "Really," he said.

Ace smiled, "Thanks!" Then Ace's arm went back to punch him, which made Ricky's eyes widen. Did he really change?

Ricky's eyes shut reflexively as Ace's fist went to punch him in the shoulder, but it turned out to be a friendly punch.

Ace laughed, "Don't tell me you're going to flinch every time I go near you now?"

Ricky stared in disbelief, then started laughing with Ace. "I'll try not to!"

"So, want to go find your old friends so I can apologize to them?" Ace asked after he stopped laughing.

Ricky immediately brightened up more, "Yea!" he started to leave with Ace, but stopped. "Wait, we have to say thanks to…" he turned around to thank Danny Phantom, but the ghost boy that had helped so much had disappeared as quickly as he appeared to stop that first punch.

The two looked confused as they looked around, but then figured he left and turned to head off to find and put back the last puzzle piece that would solve this long problem once and for all.

But up in the sky, unseen by all, was the ghost boy who had helped solve this mess.

Danny Phantom looked on with a smile, who would've thought that two enemies could become friends so easily? He was glad for the boy who stood up to the bully, and for the bully who realized what the right thing to do was.

"I did help," Danny smiled to himself, "But some things are better left for the people themselves to figure out. And they did just that." He smiled one more time before turning and flying back to his house.

**Yay! I hope everyone liked it! Please review and tell me what I need to work on!**

**Thanks again for reading! **


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